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Food Industry Donations

Atlanta's hospitality industry has always been generous to the Food Bank, providing everything from food donations to cooking classes. Here's an innovative new way the industry can support ACFB's hunger relief efforts. Donate your used cooking oil!

Food Industry Donors

If you work in the food industry, please consider donating your overstocked, short-dated or unused food to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. We distribute food and grocery products to a network of over 600 partner agencies in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties, and they rely on us to maintain an inventory of product that is high in variety and nutrition. With strong support from our local food industry, we are able to provide our partner agencies with more than 50 million pounds of grocery products every year.

We encourage donations from food manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, brokers, food shows, farmer’s markets and more. If you are in the food industry, we want to hear from you!

For more information on becoming a food donor, contact Food Industry Donations at foodindustrydonors@acfb.org or 404.892.FEED (3333) x1233.

FAQ

What kind of food can I donate to the Food Bank? ACFB can accept donations of non-expired product that is shelf stable and in good condition. We can also accept produce, breads and frozen product that has been frozen for the life of the product.

Who receives the food I donate? Food donated to ACFB is distributed directly to our partner agencies – more than 600 food pantries, community kitchens, shelters and other nonprofit organizations that provide groceries and meals to people in need of food assistance. Our service area covers 29 counties in metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

Am I liable for the food I donate? No. State and Federal Good Samaritan Legislation protects our food donors from liability if food is donated in good faith and no intentional harm is intended. Learn more about Good Samaritan liability protection for food donors.

How can I be sure the food I donate is handled safely?ACFB drivers must adhere to safe food handling procedures approved by the health department. Any perishable food donations are picked up and delivered in ACFB’s temperature-controlled vehicles.

Do you charge for the food? ACFB has a shared maintenance fee of 0-16 cents per pound for shelf stable items. (Many of our short-life items, such as dairy, produce and breads are distributed at no maintenance fee.) The shared maintenance fee helps cover a portion of ACFB’s operational costs.

Can I get a receipt for my donation? Yes, ACFB provides receipts for all product donations (from smaller walk-in donations to large wholesaler and manufacturer donations). All receipts contain our Tax Exempt ID # and any pertinent information a donor needs.

Why should I donate to the Atlanta Community Food Bank? Without product donations from the food industry and individuals, ACFB would not be able to provide millions of pounds of food each year to our network of partner agencies. Our agencies often tell us that without the product they receive from ACFB, they could not continue to serve the growing numbers of people seeking assistance.

Liability Protection

The state of Georgia and the federal government protect donors from liability through “Good Samaritan” legislation. In 1987, the Georgia Legislature passed an amendment to the Good Samaritan Food Laws, and in 1996, President Clinton signed the Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. Both laws protect good faith donations of food unless injury is caused intentionally by the donor. Learn more about liability protection for food donors.

A note about tax benefits: Federal tax laws provide most food donors with charitable deductions. It is recommended that you consult your accountant or tax advisor in order to determine the exact charitable contribution to which you may be entitled.

Individual Food Donors

f you are an individual interested in making a food donation, we highly recommend that you donate to your food to an ACFB partner agency near you. Find your nearest food pantry or community kitchen. If you would like to bring your food donation directly to ACFB, we welcome your donations between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. When you arrive, go to the main lobby and speak with our receptionist. Get directions to ACFB.